MOT Risk Index.co.uk

BMW 3 Series — MOT statistics 2024

All BMW 3 Series variants tested in Great Britain in 2024 — 675,043 MOT tests, every generation and engine together.

MOT risk index
75.6
100 = normal for its age

This car fails its MOT about 24% less often than expected for its age.

Rank 1 of 25 families published so far · margin of error ±1 points

What this means for buyers

Checklist when viewing a used 3 Series:
  1. Check wipers, washers and windscreen chips in the driver's view
  2. Listen for knocks over bumps — worn suspension joints are common
  3. Check tyre tread depth across the full width
  4. Ask the seller about: A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not func

Top specific failures

Exact defect wording from test records, per 100 tests.

What failedper 100
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view8.47
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn5.35
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements4.85
A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage4.49
A tyre seriously damaged3.85
The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements3.39
A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning3.18
A suspension joint dust cover severely deteriorated3
A tyre cords visible or damaged2.99
Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement2.73

Failures by component area

Lamps & electrical 22.4 Suspension 19.1 Brakes 17 Visibility 15.4 Tyres 13 Emissions & leaks 5.3

Early warnings (advisories)

Advisories are wear the tester noted but didn't fail — what will need money soon.

Brakes 93.4 Tyres 88.9 Suspension 72.5 Emissions & leaks 20.9 Non-component advisories 15.4 Body & structure 8.6

How it ages

3579111315171946%car age, years

Takeaway: a 10-year-old 3 Series has roughly a 20% chance of failing its MOT; from about age 4 it does worse than the average car.

Data table
AgeBMW 3 SeriesAll cars
39.6%10.9%
411.8%11.6%
510.8%13.5%
611.1%15.6%
712.0%18.2%
814.0%21.3%
916.5%24.4%
1020.0%27.7%
1123.1%30.6%
1227.6%33.4%
1328.6%36.0%
1429.7%38.6%
1530.6%39.9%
1628.9%41.5%
1730.1%41.5%
1830.8%42.4%
1932.3%42.2%
2030.5%37.5%

Petrol, diesel, hybrid — which ages best?

FuelTests% failing
Diesel432,62724.1%
Petrol235,60826.2%
Hybrid6,69914.9%

Where they fail most

Every dot is a postcode area — size = how many were tested there, colour = share failing. Raw rates: coastal and rural areas run older fleets and salted roads.

Torquay (TQ): 37.2% failing, 3,218 testsSalisbury (SP): 34.8% failing, 3,355 testsExeter (EX): 34.1% failing, 7,398 testsBath (BA): 33.6% failing, 5,388 testsKirkcaldy (KY): 32.9% failing, 3,171 testsDundee (DD): 32.2% failing, 2,601 testsBristol (BS): 31.8% failing, 10,407 testsPortsmouth (PO): 31.7% failing, 9,371 testsCardiff (CF): 31.6% failing, 10,211 testsBournemouth (BH): 31.2% failing, 8,355 testsGloucester (GL): 31.2% failing, 7,215 testsLincoln (LN): 30.6% failing, 3,176 testsPlymouth (PL): 30.4% failing, 8,981 testsBrighton (BN): 30.3% failing, 8,211 testsDorchester (DT): 30.3% failing, 3,080 testsTruro (TR): 30% failing, 4,732 testsHull (HU): 29.7% failing, 4,258 testsTaunton (TA): 29.5% failing, 4,301 testsNorthampton (NN): 29.5% failing, 7,629 testsSwindon (SN): 29.2% failing, 5,605 testsPaisley (PA): 28.9% failing, 1,638 testsGuildford (GU): 28.9% failing, 8,998 testsSouthampton (SO): 28.6% failing, 7,972 testsIpswich (IP): 28.6% failing, 8,186 testsCanterbury (CT): 28.4% failing, 5,380 testsSwansea (SA): 28.2% failing, 7,370 testsOxford (OX): 27.6% failing, 6,867 testsMedway (ME): 27.5% failing, 8,529 testsNewport (NP): 27.4% failing, 6,039 testsSunderland (SR): 27% failing, 1,784 testsTonbridge (TN): 26.9% failing, 9,098 testsLlandudno (LL): 26.9% failing, 6,804 testsNorwich (NR): 26.9% failing, 8,488 testsLancaster (LA): 26.7% failing, 2,594 testsStockport (SK): 26.7% failing, 5,619 testsAberdeen (AB): 26.7% failing, 5,487 testsWolverhampton (WV): 26.6% failing, 5,141 testsBlackpool (FY): 26.5% failing, 3,181 testsYork (YO): 26.2% failing, 5,243 testsStevenage (SG): 26.1% failing, 4,086 testsEdinburgh (EH): 26% failing, 7,750 testsHarrogate (HG): 26% failing, 1,303 testsFalkirk (FK): 25.9% failing, 2,036 testsColchester (CO): 25.8% failing, 4,990 testsSt Albans (AL): 25.7% failing, 2,539 testsCambridge (CB): 25.6% failing, 4,710 testsCrewe (CW): 25.5% failing, 3,247 testsMilton Keynes (MK): 25.4% failing, 7,427 testsRedhill (RH): 25.4% failing, 7,266 testsWatford (WD): 25.4% failing, 2,608 testsReading (RG): 25.3% failing, 10,926 testsNottingham (NG): 25.2% failing, 12,067 testsChester (CH): 25.1% failing, 6,724 testsBolton (BL): 25% failing, 5,025 testsPeterborough (PE): 24.8% failing, 13,901 testsHemel Hempstead (HP): 24.5% failing, 8,736 testsLondon SW (SW): 24.4% failing, 3,080 testsWarrington (WA): 24.4% failing, 6,229 testsBromley (BR): 24.4% failing, 2,001 testsLondon W (W): 24.4% failing, 2,175 testsPerth (PH): 24.4% failing, 1,358 testsCarlisle (CA): 24.3% failing, 2,884 testsWigan (WN): 24.2% failing, 2,693 testsPreston (PR): 24.2% failing, 6,362 testsWorcester (WR): 24.1% failing, 3,674 testsChelmsford (CM): 24% failing, 6,850 testsInverness (IV): 23.9% failing, 2,012 testsIlford (IG): 23.7% failing, 4,070 testsHereford (HR): 23.7% failing, 2,283 testsDerby (DE): 23.5% failing, 8,600 testsStoke-on-Trent (ST): 23.1% failing, 6,085 testsSouthend-on-Sea (SS): 23% failing, 7,336 testsManchester (M): 23% failing, 12,247 testsKilmarnock (KA): 23% failing, 3,605 testsHuddersfield (HD): 23% failing, 2,583 testsWalsall (WS): 22.7% failing, 4,270 testsDoncaster (DN): 22.7% failing, 9,253 testsLiverpool (L): 22.5% failing, 5,403 testsCroydon (CR): 22.5% failing, 4,387 testsLondon SE (SE): 22.2% failing, 6,288 testsShrewsbury (SY): 22.1% failing, 3,777 testsTelford (TF): 21.9% failing, 2,975 testsKingston upon Thames (KT): 21.7% failing, 5,305 testsSlough (SL): 21.7% failing, 5,857 testsLondon N (N): 21.7% failing, 4,919 testsNewcastle (NE): 21.7% failing, 10,953 testsLeicester (LE): 21.4% failing, 12,270 testsCoventry (CV): 21.2% failing, 11,189 testsDarlington (DL): 21.1% failing, 3,116 testsDumfries (DG): 21.1% failing, 1,571 testsLondon NW (NW): 21% failing, 5,741 testsLuton (LU): 20.5% failing, 5,303 testsRomford (RM): 20.3% failing, 5,913 testsDartford (DA): 20.3% failing, 4,422 testsHarrow (HA): 20.2% failing, 4,430 testsCleveland (TS): 20.1% failing, 6,989 testsBirmingham (B): 20.1% failing, 24,309 testsWakefield (WF): 20% failing, 6,593 testsMotherwell (ML): 19.5% failing, 2,873 testsLeeds (LS): 19.4% failing, 7,675 testsOldham (OL): 19.3% failing, 4,842 testsBradford (BD): 19.2% failing, 7,108 testsLondon E (E): 19.1% failing, 7,930 testsSheffield (S): 19.1% failing, 15,662 testsTwickenham (TW): 19.1% failing, 6,446 testsGlasgow (G): 19% failing, 10,048 testsDurham (DH): 18.9% failing, 3,330 testsUxbridge (UB): 18.8% failing, 6,710 testsBlackburn (BB): 18.5% failing, 7,446 testsDudley (DY): 18.5% failing, 3,966 testsHalifax (HX): 18.5% failing, 1,317 testsSutton (SM): 17.9% failing, 1,363 testsEnfield (EN): 17.1% failing, 4,834 tests % failing 19% 32%
Toughest areas% failing
Torquay (TQ)37.2%
Salisbury (SP)34.78%
Exeter (EX)34.1%
Bath (BA)33.56%
Kirkcaldy (KY)32.89%
Easiest areas% failing
Enfield (EN)17.15%
Dudley (DY)18.46%
Blackburn (BB)18.48%
Uxbridge (UB)18.78%
Durham (DH)18.89%

Does the test month matter?

Takeaway: the spread between best and worst month is 2.4 percentage points — booking month barely matters for this family.

25.16% in month 1 J24.65% in month 2 F23.41% in month 3 M25.45% in month 4 A24.36% in month 5 M24.62% in month 6 J24.48% in month 7 J24.71% in month 8 A24% in month 9 S25.6% in month 10 O25.78% in month 11 N24.66% in month 12 D 29% 22%

bars: BMW 3 Series · dashed: all class-4 cars

Month-by-month table
MonthBMW 3 SeriesAll cars
Jan25.16%27.37%
Feb24.65%26.14%
Mar23.41%24.75%
Apr25.45%26.01%
May24.36%25.01%
Jun24.62%25.01%
Jul24.48%26.04%
Aug24.71%25.79%
Sep24%25.19%
Oct25.6%27.13%
Nov25.78%27.2%
Dec24.66%26.29%

Is the mileage normal?

A typical 8-year-old 3 Series has ~76,185 miles on the clock. Much more — ask why; much less — check for gaps in the MOT history.

369121518car age, years 174k mi 0

line: median · band: middle half of the fleet (p25–p75)

Mileage by age (p25 / median / p75)
Agep25Medianp75Tests
318,10026,21533,757823
427,55537,10748,9856,745
534,52245,96959,60524,694
640,52353,28967,99017,478
750,32764,39081,0297,227
859,20176,18596,50543,136
966,54885,018106,56753,950
1075,70696,580120,65353,839
1178,480101,523127,88459,254
1283,574108,541135,99655,678
1390,998117,856145,63646,249
1492,640120,683148,70242,196
1591,188118,225147,54639,217
1695,964123,038151,49139,372
1798,375126,447157,73745,231
18104,211133,519165,78032,957
1997,624129,184163,70320,136
20+89,983116,758145,90386,854

Quick answers

What most commonly fails on a BMW 3 Series MOT?
The most frequent specific failures in 2024 were: windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view; a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn; tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements.
Is the BMW 3 Series reliable for its age?
Across 675,043 initial tests in 2024, it fails its MOT about 24% less often than expected for its age (MOT Risk Index 75.6, where 100 = normal for its age).
Are diesel 3 Seriess worse than petrol at the MOT?
24.1% of diesel tests found a failing defect vs 26.2% of petrol.
What mileage is normal for a 8-year-old 3 Series?
The median is about 76,185 miles; the middle half of the fleet sits between 59,201 and 96,505.
How often are dangerous defects found on the BMW 3 Series?
About 16 dangerous defects were recorded per 100 initial tests in 2024 — with a dangerous defect the car legally cannot be driven away.

Compare with

Audi A3 · 82.1Mercedes C Class · 83.6Toyota Yaris · 95.6Mercedes A Class · 91.3

Data details & how to cite

Scope: class-4 vehicles (cars), initial tests only, outcomes pass / fail / fixed-on-the-spot at the station (PRS counts towards the failure rate — the defect was present at arrival). Index = observed initial failures ÷ failures expected for this fleet's exact age profile, ×100; margin of error is a 95% confidence interval. Covers ALL generations together — a 3-year-old and a 15-year-old are very different cars; a generation split is on the roadmap. Dataset release dvsa-2024-v1, frozen baseline. Full method: methodology.

Cite: MOT Risk Index (2026). BMW 3 Series MOT statistics 2024 (dvsa-2024-v1). https://motriskindex.co.uk/cars/bmw-3-series/ · Published 2026-07-30.